Jose Soriano is writing a new pitching narrative for the Los Angeles Angels, and he's this week's AL Player of the Week.
Los Angeles Angels starter Jose Soriano has been on an amazing run to open the season, and as a result he’s been named Player of the Week along with James Wood of the Washington Nationals. The award was a first for both players in their respective careers to date, according to a report written by Ed Eagle of MLB.com.
This award was a given after what Soriano accomplished in his first four starts. The Angels right-hander started his season with back-to-back shutout starts with six innings in each one, and he then extended his dominance against the Atlanta Braves with ten strikeouts as he gave up his only run of the season to date. His last start was over the weekend against the Reds, when he threw seven more innings of two-hit shutout ball, with another ten strikeouts.
That gives Soriano the lead right now in the so-called Triple Crown pitching categories with four wins, an ERA of 0.33 and 31 strikeouts.
Here’s the most remarkable Soriano stat of all: He’s now the only pitcher since 1900 to allow fewer than 10 hits and two runs in his first four appearances of a season covering at least 25 innings.
On the Angels side of the ledger, Soriano is the first Angel to win Player of the Week honors since Jo Adell did it last Sept. 8, and the last full-time Angels pitcher to win the awards was Reid Detmers back in May of 2022.
Wood, meanwhile, went 12-for-22 (.545) with three doubles, three homers, eight runs scored, eight RBIs and two steals to help lead the Nationals to four wins, including a weekend sweep of the Brewers. He’d fit in nicely in the Angels lineup the way the Halos are mashing these days.
Soriano’s next start will be on Friday against German Marquez of the San Diego Padres as the Angels return home for a three-game series, and Soriano has become the Halos’ new ace in the span of just a few short starts. Yusei Kikuchi is struggling out of the gate, and while Jack Kochanowicz and Reid Detmers have had some good outings, they’ve also had their struggles. The back end of the rotation has been a mess, so there’s still plenty of sorting out to do there.
Soriano has also made the Angels one of the most entertaining teams of the young season to watch. They’re hanging around .500 so far, but the powerful lineup and Soriano have become a constant highlight reel that’s drawing plenty of new fans to a franchise that’s been in a state of chaos for the last few seasons.